“I was a hero’s son last year, But I am a son of sorrow this year; If I am put under a third weight, I will be a son of Mull next year.” (“Bu mhac suinn mi an uiridh, Ach mac mulaid mi ’m bliadhna; Ma chuireas iad orm tuille treise, ’S mac Muileach mi air an ath-bhliadhna.”) “MacLeod’s own lands are not yet exhausted,” MacLeod said, and he restored him to his former place and privileges, and he never had to go to Mull or anywhere else for land. During this time Finlay kept looking for his wife’s appearance, and whenever he saw her in the doorway he called out to her, “Poor woman! what has brought you here? It must be some pressing need that made you come among the nobles of the Clan Leod to-night. Tell your story, and sure am I they will one and all be willing to give you help, and that they will not let you away as empty-handed as you have come.” She said she was a poor woman who was bringing herself through life honestly as she best could, with help from those who took notice of her poverty and gave her charity, and that she came to the nobles of the Clan Leod, as they were gathered at this time, to try if they would help her. “Let your countrymen do as they like,” Finlay said, “I will give you a calving cow (_mart-laoigh_).” MacLean looked at him in astonishment, and it was no wonder, when he heard him give away the only cow the poor woman in Balemartin had to the northern wife (_do ’n chaillich thuathaich_). Everyone of the nobles present gave her a similar gift, till she had the nine cows. When the company left, and MacLean had an opportunity of speaking to Finlay, he said to him, “What made you give the only cow you had to the northern wife?” “Do you know who the wife is?” Finlay said. “What do I care what wife she is or was,” MacLean said. “It was just my own wife who was there and got all the cows, and you need not give her yours till you return home,” Finlay said. “And how did you bring her here?” MacLean asked. “Ods! MacLean,” he said, “just in the big hogshead at your feet in the galley.” “No death will ever happen to you but to be hanged for your quirks” (_cha tig bàs ortsa ’m feasd ach do chrochadh le d’ raoitean_), MacLean said, and he advised him to send the cattle to Mull, till they could be ferried to Tiree. Finlay took the advice, and sent his wife and the cows to MacLean’s place at Benmolach, on the north-west side of Mull, and she got them to Balemartin, where MacLean on his return home sent her his own gift.